Numerical Investigation of Damage Evolution in SiC/Al Composites Under Quasi-Static Tension Using the GTN Model

This study employed the Gurson-Tvergaard-Needleman (GTN) damage model to evaluate the ductile damage behavior of silicon carbide (SiC) reinforced aluminum matrix composites (SiC/Al composites). Uniaxial tensile experiments were conducted at room temperature under controlled strain rates ranging from 0.001 to 0.009 s^-1. Fracture surface analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed predominantly brittle cleavage features at lower strain rates, with an increasing presence of dimples associated with microvoid coalescence at the highest strain rate, highlighting a strain-rate-dependent fracture mechanism. GTN parameters were determined using finite element simulations combined with response surface methodology (RSM). The results demonstrated that higher strain rates accelerate void nucleation and growth, leading to faster damage evolution. Numerical simulations validated the identified GTN parameters, showing strong agreement with experimental observations. This work provides critical insights into strain-rate effects on damage evolution in SiC/Al composites, supporting their application in high-strain-rate environments.